Pinot Grigio 2016 Cliffhanger Vyd., Trentino, Mezzacorona

Mezzacorona is an award winning winery in Northern Italy known perhaps, primarily for outstanding Pinot Grigio, and this wine is a very special Pinot Grigio. In the foothills of the Dolomite mountains the vineyards are on terraced cliffs to get maximum sun exposure. This Pinot Grigio Cliffhanger, Trentuino DOC is a selection of the best grapes cultivated on these hills. The first selection is harvested around the first week of September and brings fresh fruity notes and the acidic backbone of the wine. Then a second selection is made of grapes Pinot Grigio from around Lake Garda, harvested around the second week of September. These bring ripe stone fruits and ripe pear flavors with lower acidity and a rounder mouthfeel. Fermentation starts in stainless steel tanks with the addition of selected yeasts and runs for 10-12 days. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wine rests in tanks for 3-4 months with periodical stirring of the yeasts (batonnage). Then 50% of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation smoothing down the acidity and increase the richness.